Electric switch lock



Feb. 18, 1930. H. E. NORVIEL ELECTRIC SWITCH LOCK Filed April 12, 1927 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE HARRY E. NORVIEL, F ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-REMY CORPORA- 'IION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRIC SWITCH LOCK Application filed April 12,

This invention relates to a locking device for. a switch or other controller having at least one on and at least two off positions.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a keyoperated lock in connection with the operating member of a controller, which, upon removal of the key will lock the controller either in the. off position, or, so that it may be operated between 1 the on position and another off position,

dependent upon the position of the controller when the key is removed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lock for a controller so that,

when the controller is in a certain one of its positions, for example in an off position,

merely removing the key from the lock will cause the controller to be located in this position, and so that insertion of the key into the lock will permit turning the controller into another position,rfor example an on position, and so that removal of the key from the look while the controller is in the second mentioned position will prevent movement of the controller into the first mentioned position while permitting movement from the second position to a third position and vice versa.

As applied to an automobile switch lock, the present invention provides means for locking the switch in an open position so that the driver may lock the automobile when desired, said means permitting also opening and closing of the ignition circuit without use of the key, so that the operator may leave the vehicle in a garage in such a condition that it may be operated when desired.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following desqription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: A

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the controller and the locking device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the .to the side of the casing.

1927. Serial No. 183,141.

line3-3 of Fig. 1, portions of the device being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the lock mechanism in another position; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the controller is shown attached to a switch which is combined with an ignition coil 20, comprising a metallic casing 21, the one end of which is open and has an inwardly extending annular flange 22. The switch comprises a casing 23 having an annular groove 24 provided about its outer periphery, into which the flange 22 of the casing 21 extends for securing the switch casing to the casin of the coil. An annular indent 25 in the coil casing aids the flange 22 in holding the switch casing rigidly in the coil casing.

Within the switch casing 23 there is formed a central lug portion 26 provided with a passage substantially coaxial with the coil 20. In this passage is journalled the lock cylinder 27 provided with an operating lever 28 at its outer end adjacent the outer surface of the switch casing, the inner end of said switch extending beyond the inner end of the lug portion 26 and having a movable contact including members 29 and 30 insulatingly mounted thereon. These contact members 29 and 30 are adapted to be moved into engagement with stationary contacts 31 and 32 through the rotation of the lock cylinder by the operating member 28. Stationary contacts 31 and 32 are supported on the insulating member 33 secured in the coil casing21, said insulating member forming a cover for the ignition coil and separating the coil from the switch.

In the outer surface of the lock cylinder 27 adjacent the end of lug 26 there are rovided a series of indents 34 which are a apted to receive a spring pressed plunger 35 slidably carried in a transverse passage 36 formed in a web portion extending: from the lug 26 ndents 34 are so positioned in the lock'cylinder that the entrance of the spring pressed plunger 35 into 100 said various indents tends to hold the locking cylinder in proper circuit opening and circuit closing positions.

The passage in which the lock cylinder is journ'alled is provided with a recess 38 adjacent the outer surface of the casing, said recess extending substantially half way between said outer surface of the switch casing and theinner surface of the lug portion. 26. Another recess 39, substantially semi-circular, is provided diametrically opposite the recess 38. These recesses are clearly shown in the Figs. 4 and 5.

The locking cylinder 27 is provided with a plurality of spaced, transverse slots 40, each one of which has a locking plunger 41- slidably supported therein, At one side of each I slot 40 and running lengthwise with the slot, there is provided a recess 42 in which springs 43 are retained.- Each spring has one end resting on the bottom of the respective recess, the other end engaging an ear 44 extending from the res ective locking plungers 41 so that each spring 43 will tend to exert a force upon its respective plunger to slide it transversely through the locking cylinder. Each plunger 41 is'provided with a central aperture through which the key 45 may be inserted. The cylinder 27 has a corresponding key slot 46. r

When the locking cylinder is in the position as shown in the Fig. 4 and the key is not therein, springs 43 Will move the respective plungers into locking engagement with the recess 38, which is just wide enough to receive the ends of these plungers. In this position the operating lever 28 and its locking cylinder 2 is securely locked against rotation. The key is so constructed that the contour of its one edge will align the plungers as shown in Fig. 4 when the key is inserted in the lockin cylinder thus the ends of the plungers are brought flush with the locking cylinder, thereby permitting rotation thereof by the operating lever.

Assuming that the key is in position in the locking cylinder, the operator may now rotate the operating lever 28 freely in either direction. A quarter turn in either direction causes the spring pressed plunger 35 to enter the nextadjacent indent 34, thus stopping the lever at the quarter turn. In this position the contact arms 29 and 30 will complete a bridging effect across the contacts'31 and 32.

Now if the key is removed from the locking cylinder, the springs 43 will slide their respective plungers into the recess 39, previously described as substantially semi-circular. ln this condition the switch may be operated so that the ends of the plungers will move from one end of the semi-circular slot 39 to the other. During this movement the switch will be moved from one on position to the off position, and to the second on as position. The two on. positions, cause a reinto the switch 0 versed engagement of the contacts, that is in one case arm 29 will engage with contact 31,

' and arm 30 will engage with contact 32, in

the other case, 29 engages with 32, and 30 with 31. It will be seen that theswitch cannot be operated into the locked position while the locking device is in the position as described, inasmuch as the plungers will engage the shoulder provided by the ends of the recess 39,. To again lock the switch against any rotation, the operator inserts the key linder, thus again aligning the plungers wit the peripheral edge of the cylinder, thereby permitting rotation of the controlling lever 28 to bring the switch into the locked position, at which time removal of the key will again permit the springs 43 to move the plun ers into the recess 38. The Fig. 5 clearly i lustrates the position of the plungers when the switch is locked in the position operative from on to ofl to on position.

This lockin device is particularly desir' able when 'par ing of the vehicle in a public garage is necessary. When parked in a private garage, the switch may be locked in the position marked locked on the drawing, in which case it cannot be operated. When parked in a public garage, where the danger of fire is greatly increased, or where it is ofttimes necessary to move a vehicle after the owner has relinquished the same to the care of the garage keeper, the key may be removed after the operating lever 28 has been moved to the oil position, or while it is still in either one of the on positions. This revents the switch from being locked in its inoperative or locked position, and consequently permits the ignition circuit to be closed when it is desirable to operate the en- While the form of embodiment of the presentinvention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whi'ch'follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a controller capable of being moved into an operative position from either one of two inoperative positions;

means for locking the controller in one of the inoperative positions and thereby preventing its movement into any other position; and lock. means permitting movement of the controller between the other inoperative position and an operative position and preventing movement of the controller to the first mentioned inoperative position.

2. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a controller capable of being moved into an operative position from either one of two inoperative positions;

locking means responsive to removal of the key for maintaining the controller in one of the inoperative positions if the key is removed while the controller is in this inoperative position; and locking means permitting movement of the controller between the other inoperative position and an operative position and preventing movement of the controller to the first mentioned inoperative position, and responsive to removal of the key while the controller is located between its range of movement between an operative position and the second mentioned inoperative position.

3. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a controller movable into two different positions for rendering a device inoperative; an operating lever operatively connected with said controller and having a locked position, and an on and ofi position and key operated means for locking said lever either in the locked position, or against operation into the locked position while maintaining it operable between the ofi? and on positions.

4. A device of the character described,-

comprising in combination, a controller movable into two difierent positions for rendering a device inoperative; an operating lever operatively connected with said controller, said lever having a locked-0d position, an unlocked-off position and two on ositions; and key operated means for 100 ing said lever either in the locked-ofi position or against being operated into said position while maintaining said lever operable between the unlockedbif position and either one of the on positions.

5. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a casing having a bearing portion provided with diametrically opposite recesses, one of which is substantially arcuate and longer than the other; a key operated locking cylinder journalled in said bearing; an operating lever on said cylinder; plungers, equal in length to the diameter of the cylinder and slidably carried therein, said plungers each having a central aperture; means carried by the cylinder for urging one end of eachplun er toward the bearing; said cylinder and p un ers having provisions to align the ends of t e plun ers with the surface of the cylinder, said ey being removable from the said cylinder to permit the plungers to be moved into engagement with the one recess or the other dependent upon the position of the cylinder.

6. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a casing having a bearing portion recessed in its interior on two 0 posite sides, one of said recesses being substantially arcuate and longer than the other; a key operated locking cylinder rotatably supported in said bearing portion and having spaced transverse slots and a boredout portion adjacent the side of each. slot; a

spring in each of said bored-out portions; a

centrally apertured plunger slidably su ported in each slot, having arcuate en s adapted to coincide with the peripheral surface of the lock cylinder, to permit rotation of the cylinder, each lunger having an extending ear engaged by the respective springs which urges the plunger to move out of the cylinder; said lock cylinder and plungers having provisions to align the ends of the plungers with the surface of said cylinder to permit complete rotation thereof, when in one condition of association, and adapted when in another association, to per.- mit the springs to move the plungers into either of the recesses, dependent upon the position of the locking cylinder, whereby the said cylinder is locked in the complete inoperative position or against rotation into the said inoperative position while it is maintained operable into other positions.

7. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a casing having a bearing portion provided with a locking recess and a second recess substantially arc= uate and longer than the locking recess; an

operating lever having a lock cylinder Eonrnalled in said bearing portion, said ever having a locked position, an operative and an inoperative position termed on and ofi respectively; plungers carried in said cylinder and adapted to fit into either the locking recess or the second, substantially longer recess, dependent upon the position of the operating lever, thus either locking said lever in the locking position, against any rotation, or locking said lever against rotation into the said locking position while maintaining it operable between the on and 011' positions; the locking cylinder having provisions to control the plungers therein.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my HARRY E. NUBVIEL.

signature. 

